Grassroots music venues are already selling tickets for 2534 shows in anticipation of restrictions being further relaxed on May 17.
The penultimate step of the Government's roadmap to recovery is the last before a return to full capacity shows, but at least 266 venues plan to reopen to smaller audiences, a survey by the Music Venue Trust (MVT) reveals.
More than 4000 shows are predicted to take place across 400 venues from mid-May, and 17,000 full capacity gigs are expected by the end of September.
MVT Strategic Director Beverley Whitrick said it was "incredible to see the enthusiasm for getting live music back".
"These socially distanced shows aren’t being delivered for financial return, in fact precisely the opposite. The grassroots sector is stepping up and putting its own time and money into answering the demand for live music in our communities."
CEO Mark Davyd added: "There are still challenges to overcome, and of course the whole of this programme relies on the Government sticking to its roadmap to allow us to reopen every venue safely."
"Audience safety continues to be grassroots music venues’ main priority, but this is hopefully the start of our much-anticipated road back to normality."